The unseen costs of cheap clothing

When money is tight, and the economy is shaky, conventional wisdom says we should all look for the best bargains. The cheaper the better, right? If you’re strictly counting pennies, that makes sense. But if you take that steal-of-a-deal and look deeper into the route it took to the shopping bag in your hands, a bargain is not always a bargain. Take the $2 tank tops on sale at a local big box retail store whose target shoppers are the 12 to 24-year-old set. A $2 top is hard to pass up. Parents, looking for ways to outfit children for the summer without spending a fortune, are understandably swayed by the advertising. But, when you consider that the shirts are cheaply made, meant to last only one season, and were more than likely produced in a factory half a world away and then shipped to stores across the United States, the cost efficiency gets wobbly. The environmental impact of disposable clothing is often overlooked. From a green perspective, the carbon footprint of each piece is wide. My closet is full of pieces that I’ve had for years. One favorite Laura Ashley skirt is close to 20 years old. I’ve worn it since my children were babies. A plain cotton knit, the kind of thing that never goes out of style because it isn’t trendy in any way, the skirt works winter, summer or fall. I bought it on sale (I almost always buy on sale) and I’ve always taken care of it. I wash it in cold water, so it won’t fade, and then hang it up. I never put it in the dryer so the fibers aren’t broken and damaged by the heat. There are other wardrobe basics that have been around for years. Each was an investment; constructed of quality material and well-made. I did the same with my children’s clothes. I bought things to last and they usually did. Of course, not everything in my closet is a keeper. Things wear out, or no longer fit. Styles change and trends come and go. I have my share of shopping mistakes. But the older I get the more I turn away from the whims of fashion. Classics are classic for a reason. As consumers, we’re constantly being bombarded by enticements to buy now and buy cheap. But, ultimately, we risk spending twice as much. And we feed the system that spews out cheaply made garments, sewn by poorly compensated people, and then burns precious fuel to get them to inattentive buyers. A $2 tank top is no bargain. Why not buy a quality piece and know it will be around for years. Or, if you’re truly bargain-hunting, go to a thrift store or spend the money at a re-sale shop and, in that way, reduce the real cost of whatever you wear.